Mill Creek Tavern in Comstock Park Faces Foreclosure Over Unpaid Property Taxes
The long-running Mill Creek Tavern at 3874 West River Dr. NE could lose the property it sits on in 2027 if unpaid property taxes totaling nearly $45,000 are not settled, court documents and Kent County Treasurer records show.
COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. — The Mill Creek Tavern, a neighborhood landmark on West River Drive, is on the verge of a property foreclosure after more than a year of unpaid property taxes, court documents show.
The tavern, located at 3874 West River Dr. NE, was forfeited to the Kent County Treasurer's Office in March for nonpayment of 2024 property taxes, according to a certificate filed with the Kent County Register of Deeds. The property is owned by a limited liability company registered to Scott Ingersoll.
Foreclosure does not mean the owner immediately loses the property. Instead, the forfeiture begins a process that will end in 2027 if the taxes remain unpaid.
"If the 2024 taxes are not paid by March 31, 2027, absolute title to the property and any equity associated with an interest in the property will vest in the foreclosing governmental unit," the certificate reads.
According to a petition for foreclosure filed in the 17th Circuit Court, the property owes taxes for both 2024 and 2025. The amounts continue to grow as interest accrues each month. As of this month, the treasurer's office reported that $24,309 is owed for 2024 and $20,685 is owed for 2025, for a combined total of $44,994.
If the 2024 taxes are paid by March 31, the foreclosure can be avoided. An administrative show cause hearing is scheduled for February at the treasurer's office, as is a judicial foreclosure hearing in the same month, according to a notice posted on the tavern's door.
The foreclosure threat comes on top of other recent financial troubles for the business. The Michigan Liquor Control Commission suspended the tavern's liquor license on Sept. 2 for nonpayment of fines. The suspension, set to last 30 days, was the latest in a series of regulatory and financial pressures the tavern has faced.
The tavern has appeared to be closed for the past several weeks, drawing concern from nearby residents who remember the building as a gathering spot for local sports watches and community events.
Kent County officials said the foreclosure process is automatic under state law and that the treasurer's office does not take sides in the underlying ownership dispute. The property owner can still halt the process by paying the back taxes before the March 31 deadline.
The outcome of the two February hearings will determine the next steps in the case.
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